82 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
Show Jumping
Jumping from
the U.S. to
Paris to
Dubai
By Lauren R. Giannini
Alice Debany Clero has experienced an
amazing course through life. She grew
up in the family riding school business
in Bedford, New York. Her mother
Pat Debany halted her career as a
professional jumper rider to have 10
children. Alice, the second youngest, was
nearly four when her father died suddenly,
leaving her mother to carry on, raising the
children and running the business.
Alice started schooling ponies as a five-
year-old. At 10 she took weekly lessons
for a year with Barney Ward, and at 15
rode with George Morris, who was in the
process of handing his junior business
to Frank Madden and Bill Cooney, so
they also taught her. She catch-rode for
Anthony D’Ambrosio.
Alice has been groomed to ride, train and
teach by some of the best in the world. For
the last nine years she has divided her time
between her family and their training farm
in La Baule and coaching the Dubai show
jumping team.
Turning Pro
Shortly before her last year as a junior, Barney
Ward called and asked Alice to work for him. “It was
a decision that certainly changed the rest of my life,”
she said. “Going pro at 17 was a financial necessity
and a career maker.”
One unexpected bonus turned out to be Paul Greenwood,
who was buying horses from Barney for Katherine Burdsall.
Paul also kept two of his own amateur jumpers at Barney’s. “He
came for lessons everyday, and soon Barney asked me to teach
him,” Alice recalled. “Paul was my very first student, and I quickly
realized how much I enjoyed teaching.”
If you’re a fan of Equine Trivial Pursuit, you probably remember
Continued on page 84
Alice and Amareusa (8-years-old, by Baloubet du
Rouet out of Le Mexico), owned by Creno Horses at
Chantilly CSI** in April 2013.
Photo by Michel Chretinat Photography
